See ya Irene

Hello Friends,

Just an update, clearly, if I'm blogging I am in fact alive and ok. Irene knocked us around a bit last night but overall everything is ok. I'm currently without power at my apartment but luckily the beautiful Adrienne Strain has let me stay with her last night and bath/hang out today before work so all is ok. We had to reschedule our comedians for this weekend, Frangela, However, we will be showing free movies tonight to give the students, who were stuck in their halls all night and half of today something free and fun to do.

Overall, move-in and welcome have gone beautifully. I could not be prouder of my board this year who kicked off welcome with an outdoor showing of The Incredibles and followed it up with a concert  featuring Sleeper Agent and fireworks. We will continue on tonight and throughout the week.

All of this craziness of course makes me excited to be in VB next week with my family and friends. It's hard to believe we're almost a month away from the Best wedding, which, means song and speech writing need to begin. Suggestions for Angela and I will be entertained, however, I can tell you, we only get better with time. :)

Today is one of my favorite people in the entire world's birthday, Mr. James Michael Vincent Oliverie aka Jimmy O. He is turning 25 today and is avoiding all hurricane craziness in his new home, St. Paul, MN. As many of you know Jimmy is one of my best friends from JMU and I have been lucky to have him in my life since my first week of graduate school where we became instant friends. I am sending him lots of love today. He is truly one of the kindest, funniest, smartest and greatest people I know. I am lucky to call him my best friend and know those of you who know him would have to agree :)

This week will be another crazy one. As many of you know I've started teaching a freshman seminar this semester in one of our learning communities here at UNCW. I had a great first day of a class and can tell my class is going to be awesome already. I am sure I'll have so many stories to share with you. I assigned my first homework assignment and half the class has already submitted it (it's due on Monday). I spent last night reading and leaving comments on these initial journals. My biggest observation is that I need to help these students find better restaurants. I ask each of them their favorite place to eat and things like Olive Garden and Ruby Tuesdays come up quite often. Luckily, Wilmington is filled with several amazing local chains that I am happy to introduce them to.

Ok! I think that is all for now. Stay safe 757 and the rest of the North East, I'm sorry I couldn't keep Irene away from you longer.

Always,

Stefanie Jo

Sassy Second Year

Hello friends...

Back to blogging after a summer off! It's been a busy past couple of months filled with visitors, moving, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, work turn over and much more!

LK, Klake and I at a Bachelor Charity Auction

my favorite LU turned Wilmington friend

Happy 4th of July!

At the Yeatman wedding

Bachelorette party for my BEST friend :)


It has been quite the eventful summer, it is no wonder it has flown by! The most exciting news of the week is of course, my new car :) 

 I was going to take a picture in my bathing suit on the hood but Sarah was sick and couldn't take the picture ;)

Tomorrow is freshman move in, where did a year go? It seems like just yesterday that I was gearing up for my first move in day smiling with my fellow first years KTK and AStrain. Now we are beginning what we are lovingly calling our "sassy second year"

Move-in day is an awesome tradition at UNCW. This year there are over 1800 volunteers for 2000 freshman. Everyone comes together to make for an amazing day and experience for the first year. While I am not excited about my 5am alarm I am always reminded of what an awesome job I have when I get to help proud parents check-in their nervous but won't admit it first year students. I of course also enjoy watching the girls who have over packed, the too cool guys, the over anxious parents, the soon-to-be long distance couples that can't stop holding hands and of course the super goober, over achieving freshman like Lauren Kennedy will tell you I was. :)

I am excited for a second year full of new friends, a great ACE executive board, getting to teach a UNI class, present at a professional conference, and overall learn from the mistakes and victories of my first year and make an amazing second year :)

Hope life is treating all of you fine blog readers well :)

Love Always,

Stefanie Jo

Remember the time I shot a gun and went to sorority convention in the same week?

Hello Friends!

Yes it's true...this Yankee shot a gun yesterday. It was Ladies Night at Shooters Choice here in Wilmington, NC and so I went with two of my girliest friends to participate:

In case you're worried...we survived, thought I'd start at the end...

First you take a class to learn about the different parts of guns, who know a magazine wasn't just something you read at the beach?

You have to have your ears and eyes protected, sexy :)

Nothing goes with a 22 like a Kate Spade or Coach purse

clearly, we were proud :)

Sarah hit a lot on the bullseye, I'm skeptical she may be practicing at home

That's right baby... Stefanie Jo Mancuso... NYPD watch out

I must say, if you've never done it...it is VERY exhilarating.  I like to think I did pretty well for my first time :)

Yes, and in the same week that I shot a gun, I also am headed to Phoenix, AZ for Alpha Delta Pi Convention....good stories to come I'm sure!

xoxo

Good morning and happy Monday!

Big Pete and I at High School Graduation :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day! On a day that is often not the easiest for me I spent it with some of my favorite people doing some of my favorite things: enjoying a breakfast out, a day at the beach and making dinner and chatting with friends.

I must say, Fathers Day does for me what it probably does for many of you, causes me to reflect on what an amazing father I have. While many will meet JoJo and question how I became as obnoxious, loud and I like to think entertaining, I can assure you she will point to the man above. While that is not the only thing I got from him, I think it's probably what is most easily identifiable to those who knew him and know me. Strangely, many of my closest friends at this point in my life did not know him, I appreciate their willingness to let me share stories about to this day one of my favorite people. 


The thing many may know about my dad, he had a passion for many things: family, kids, the Dallas Cowboys, the NY Yankees, cheese doodles, Disney World, movies (specifically ones that taught a lesson...and Titanic lol), The Sopranos and... Bruce Springsteen. It was most appropriate that this weekend Clarence Clemons of Bruce's E Street Band passed away which of course meant Bruce Springsteen music, EVERYWHERE. So, in case I wouldn't already be thinking of Big Pete, I was reminded constantly. Bruce music makes me smile though, and laugh thinking of the many car trips where his music was blaring and while driving, dad was also playing the air drums, guitar, sax or all three. As JoJo said yesterday, I'm sure Big Pete was racing to the pearly gates to meet him, probably singing "Born to Run". Poor Clarence. 


The interesting lesson I am learning right now professionally is the transience of the field I have entered. It seems like every day I'm getting another e-mailing indicating a staff member is leaving the University to pursue a position somewhere else. While I am sad to see these people leave, one is particularly hard, Miss Jenn Smist. Jenn was the head of the search committee that hired me but has become one of my closest friends here in Wilmington. While I am incredibly happy for her to go on to pursue a position at the University of Illinois (yes it's cold there, I get it, she's from Boston, she'll be fine!) I am sad to see someone who has been a loyal friend and a great professional role model for me leave Wilmington. 

I think that's all for today :)

I promise...

To be a WAY better blogger. I can't believe it has been over a month since I last blogged. While I could make a 100 excuses as to what I've been up to the fact is... I think I just kept putting it off because there was so much to catch up on. With it being the summer there just is NO excuse not to blog. I will PROMISE to do a better job from now on. I do have to celebrate a year of having the blog and while I do not use it in all the best ways and don't ALWAYS blog I will say I'm impressed it is still around and people read it. It's amazing to me it's been a year since I've moved to Wilmington and started my job. I don't let a day go by that I take for granted what a great place I've found to live and work. :)

What have I been doing in the last month you ask, well here are some highlights:

Two weddings: the first Alex & Caitlin Waldie

the 5 best friends anyone has ever had

Then last week Caitlin & Chris Yeatman, I'm always a classy addition to a bridal party

a famous cute fam pose :)

Especially when I stand on chairs to lead choreographed dances:

Graduated some of my favorite people from UNCW :)

Went parasailing with Katie K

Introduced BG to the VB lifestyle and the family memorial day weekend

Went to see NKOTBSB with some of my FAVORITE people...the concert was Larger than Life if you get me:

The lassos came out, clearly.

Have to give Aunt Roe a shout out for still being the coolest godmother and going to BSB concerts with me 10 years later :)

So yeah, I guess I've been a little busy the past month or so... lots of fun stuff but it's making the summer fly by. We are halfway through June. Geez! I still have a lot to look forward to like ADPi convention in Phoenix, AZ next week, an awesome 4th of July weekend with my handsome boyfriend, moving in with the wonderful Sarah Clark and ending July celebrating the BEST bachelorette I know, have you met her?

I often get teased about the amount of time I spend in bridal parties and at weddings but the truth is it has almost become a hobby. I spend free time reading blogs about weddings and being a bridesmaid. I love to plan and organize to getting things together for the future Mrs. Best is fun. I have been lucky to have been asked to be a bridesmaid by people who I really love and would do anything for. Each time it's a new adventure to experience with the bride, another opportunity to share someone's big day with them...and let's be real, I look good in a dress and am a GREAT dancer ;)

You be the judge:

My big, Ashley Theado Raska, July 2009

My gbaby, Caitlin Revene Yeatman, June 2011

My little, Ashley Carawan Carlton,  June 2010

My cousin's wife Jackie Miano Murino May 2008

 You have to experience the dancing to truly judge that :)

That's all for now :) I'm back!

She get it from her momma....

after taking mom out to eat for mothers day last week...

I would like to take this time to wish a very Happy Mothers Day to my mom, Joann Albergo Mancuso otherwise known as: JoJo. As many of you know, I'm pretty blessed to have an amazing mom. I could list the reasons for 100 blog posts but let me just explain a few. As many (unfortunately) know, it is not easy to be a single parent, especially when you become one in a matter of seconds. Since my dad died in 2004 JoJo has worked doublely hard to make sure Peter and myself missed nothing. She moved us each in and out of college (grad school, and my first grown up apartment). She is also there to drop everything when we call and even when she's not there she's supporting us in whatever we're doing from a distance. It is a blessing to have a mom who supports you unconditionally in whatever you do and is there to cheer you on along the way. She has given me the confidence try anything and is always there for me in case it doesn't go as planned.

But I'm not saying anything many of you don't know, she often does the same for you. She loves all of Peter and I's friends as if you were her own. JoJo is not only the mom to  Peter and I but to anyone that needs a mom. After all, it was JoJo who when grocery shopping in high school would pick up not only the snacks our familiy liked but all the snacks my best friends enjoyed as well. She also, of course is the mom to many of the clients she has served over the years. JoJo spends her life serving others and today I'd like to publicly thank her for all she has done. I am the woman I am today because of my mom.... I love you JoJo.

I would also like to shout outs to some of my other favorite moms:

- Karen Shanley, my second mom and another rockstar of a woman. I appreciate you always treating me like your own. Your support over the years is unmeasurable and I love you very much!

-My Godmother, Rosemary Albergo, thank you for everything you've done for me... I can't believe it's been a year since Italy.
-My Aunt Rosemarie, also an amazing mom and godmother to Petey and mom to my cousins Anthony & Mike.

Celebrate your mom today, she deserves it :)

It's May already?

It is amazing to me how quickly April flew by.... when I posted last I was halfway through the month of April and still that feels like forever ago. I honestly believe the spring always feels that way, particularly on a college campus. Now that exam week has hit I can finally take a breath, stop eating Aramark catering and enjoy the last few days of the academic year. It occured to me as I looked at facebook statuses yesterday how much my life has changed in the past year. I am so excited for those graduating from JMU CSPA tomorrow... that program prepared me for the amazing first year I have had and I am so excited to see what that group will do. I also share that excitement with my best friend LK, who is also graduting from Clemson's higher ed program and is about to embark on the journey of being a first year Student Affairs professional.

So many other exciting things have happend lately (or at least since my last post). First, as many of you know my dear friend Leslie Lehner and Jake Miller have gotten engaged. I have been lucky to be friends with Leslie since the summer of 03 when Katelyn Grant brought her to my dorm room at Virginia Wesleyn College during Virginia Beach Leadership Workshop to introduce me to this rising junior who was interested in running for City Wide SCA with myself and Lindsey Dowd (who would go on to be Katelyn's college best friend) small world. Leslie and I spent a few minutes talking and the rest is history. We actually ended up being sorority sisters (she at Tech and I at LU). Anyway, enough getting sappy. The truth is Leslie and Jake have been two of my favorite people to spend my time in VB with and I could not be happier for the two of them. I am honored to be a part of their special day :)

Of course ACE finished our year strong with our last event Festapalooza. To say I was the luckiest Advisor on Earth this year is the understatement of the century. It is every new professionals dream to inherit a group that is open, excited, hardworking and yearns to grow as an organization and individuals. I could not be prouder of this group as individuals and as an organization. I am a better person for knowing and each them and I am excited for next year because of the groundwork this group laid.

As the semester comes to a close I am excited about what is sure to be a busy but awesome summer filled with weddings, retreats, beach weekends, moving, NKOTBSB concerts, girls weekends, visits with BG, bridal showers and a bachelorette party :)

Until next time... lets shout out!

- Congrats to all the graduates this week and next: Kelly Ann Shanley - MSW, Lauren Kennedy, Shannon Mariner, CSPA 2011, Lauren Curtis, UNCW graduates (specifically my ACErs: Tyler, Katie, Mike, Sami, & Hillary)
-Congrats to my senior Medallian winners: Tyler, Shannon & Katie
-Excited for a fun Saturday with KTK parasailing :)
-Shout out to JoJo for Mothers Day - I feel a special post coming on :)
-Congrats to all of CSPA 2010 for making it through our first year as professionals (Jim and Donna, Jim and Jim and Donna...)
-Happy early birthday to Miss Rachel Ann Myers
-Good luck on the rest of exams to my students and little bro Petey
-Happy teacher appreciation week to all my teacher friends :)
-I hit my 10lb mark this week on ww! yay!

Up Next: Mothers day special and after that.... Waldie gets married (insert Lasso NOW)